Traditionally, industrial lifts have been used in production and manufacturing environments to raise and lower work items, people and supplies. The scissor lift, also called a table lift, is an industrial lift which has been modified for wholesale and retail settings.
Nearly all customers who have been shopping in a store late at night have probably seen a scissor lift, even if they do not know they have. Basically, the scissor lift is a platform with wheels which acts like a lift truck. In a non-industrial setting, the scissor lift is perfect for performing jobs that need the mobility or speed and moving of supplies and people above ground level.
The scissor lift is unique, able to hoist workers straight up into the air. Instead, the scissor lift platform rises when the folding and linked supports under it draw together, making the machine stretch upward. Once the machine is extended, the scissor lift reaches approximately from 21 to 62 feet or 6.4 to 18.8 meters above ground. This depends on the unit's size and the purpose.
The rough terrain scissor lifts can either be powered by an electric motor or by hydraulics, although, it could be a bumpy ride for the worker inside the lift going to the top. The design of the scissor lift keeps it from traveling with a constant velocity, as opposed to traveling slower with more extension or traveling faster during the middle of its journey.
A really common style of scissor lift is the RT or Rough Terrain class. Standard features of the RT models comprise increased power due to the IC or internal combustion engine. The variations come in gas, petrol, combinations or diesel. This is considered necessary to deal with the increased weights and steeper grades of 18 to 22 degrees which are usually associated with this particular class of scissor lift.